


Pink and Green

by Faye_Iparis



Series: Paradigm of Colors [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, Drama, F/M, Family, Friendship, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-20
Updated: 2014-04-20
Packaged: 2018-01-20 02:27:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1493305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Faye_Iparis/pseuds/Faye_Iparis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU. "This is Sakura," Fugaku said. "She will be part of this family from now on." Sasuke then wondered how pink and green could possibly look good together as it looked good on her. - SasuSaku</p>
<p>"Naruto" retold.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. And so they met

**Author's Note:**

> Blanket Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
> 
> As with everything, "Pink and Green" started with a 'what if.' What if Sakura wasn't weak and shallow? What if Sasuke wasn't always consumed in hatred? What if the sky had not bled red that night in his eyes because he was not alone? What if there was love, before, but carefully concealed, carefully disguised, and carefully denied? What if, what if, what if.

Why are we alive?

Is it because have a purpose to fulfill?

If that is the case, then what are we living for?

Why have we not died?

.

.

.

Do you believe in fate?

How about in destiny?

Do you believe that  _you_ have not stumbled upon my story on purpose?

Are you fated to know what's inside?

.

.

.

Will you understand?

Will you think ill of me?

.

.

.

Why am I here?

.

.

.

Why are  _you_ here?

.

.

.

_Why do we live?_

* * *

**The Paradigm of Colors**

**BOOK 1**

* * *

_We have only once to die, and if we do not die well, we lose an opportunity which will not again be presented to us._

\- J. Rizal, 9 July 1890

* * *

_Tap tap tap tap tap tap -_

"No..."

_Fists clench -_

"We're too late..."

_Tap tap tap tap tap -_

"They're all gone..."

_A sob -_

"What was that?"

_Another -_

"Who's there?"

_Tap... tap... tap..._

"Hello?"

_She pulls her legs closer, her green (green, green, green) eyes looks fearfully at him._

"Fugaku-san, it's -"

_He reaches out to her; he doesn't let him finish._

"Hello."

_His voice is soft -_

"Come out."

_His voice is gentle._

"I won't hurt you."

_Her whole body shakes in fear; he steps closer._

"N-No, d-d-don't - !"

_He crouches down to her (so frail, so small, so scared...)._

"I won't hurt you. I'm a friend."

_She meets his eyes (black, black as night, black as coal...)._

"I won't hurt you."

_He tries to reach her with his hand._

"I promise."

_She looks at him; he smiles faintly (you pitiful child...)._

"I promise."

_Slowly, she extends her hand (so frail, so small, so scared...) and he takes it gently (so frail...)._

"My name is Fugaku."

_He closes his big hand around her small ones._

"What is yours?"

_She looks at him curiously._

"Sa...kura. My name is... Sakura..."

_He smiles sadly._

"Well then, Sakura... can you stand?"

_She nods._

"Kaito, send a message back to the Hokage. Tell him the situation."

_He glances at the child who is looking blankly at the burnt houses._

"And tell him that I want to talk to him about this child."

_She doesn't hear him and doesn't notice as his eyes dim with pity._

_He hadn't able to save them..._

_... but, in their memory, he could save their child._

* * *

He glared intensely at his mud tower and glanced at his brother's. His obsidian eyes narrowed. Grabbing another handful of soil and dampening it a little, he added another storey above his last before the tower finally collapsed.

Sasuke whined in frustration, stood up, stomped his feet and crossed his arms. His older brother laughed.

"How are you doing that?" Sasuke demanded, pointing accusingly at his brother's intricate workmanship (while his looked like a pile of poop).

Itachi laughed quietly. "I already taught you, Sasuke, but you can't expect it to be perfect at your first try. Building mud castles require patience."

"Pfft," Sasuke pouted. "I don't see what importance this is to becoming a ninja."

Itachi smiled. "Hm, it is important," He looked at his brother and met his eyes, "especially when learning new ninjutsu. You can't expect to get everything during your first try."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, seemingly unconvinced. "But you did," he said accusingly.

Sasuke was about to continue when a familiar voice rang in his ears.

"I'm home."

The child's face lit up, forgetting his previous predicament. "Otou-san's back!"

Sasuke ran into the manor's back door, kicking his dirty outdoor footwear out and speeding towards his father barefooted with Itachi slowly following.

"Otou-san, Otou-san!" he said cheerfully, tackling his father into a hug.

"Hello, Sasuke," his father greeted, putting a hand above his younger son's head affectionately.

"Welcome back, Otou-san," Itachi said once he arrived at the scene.

Almost instantly, their mother walked to the front steps, too, wiping her hands with her apron.

"How was work?" Mikoto asked, kissing her husband's right cheek. Sasuke, who was sandwiched in between them, ack-ed in disgust and quickly let go of his father.

"Gross," he murmured, walking towards Itachi.

Mikoto laughed and Fugaku, if he wasn't the serious man that he was, could have smiled.

"Sasuke, behave yourself," Fugaku said, with a hint of seriousness in his tone. "We have company."

Sasuke and Mikoto both looked at the door. Itachi had been looking at it since his father's arrival, seeming to have noticed the unfamiliar presence already.

Fugaku, too, turned to the door. "Sakura," he called, "you can come in now if you want."

Sasuke watched as a child - about around his age - emerged from the door, her head down and with cautiousness in her every step. The first thing he noticed was her hair - it was pastel pink, the color of cherry blossoms.

The child stopped just beside Fugaku and with noticeable gentleness, he placed a hand on top of her head affectionately, just as he did with Sasuke before. Somehow, this irked Sasuke to unfathomable levels.

"This is Sakura," Fugaku said. "She will be part of this family from now on."

Nobody spoke, at first, all looking at the child who was yet to raise her head. And with cautiousness, she did, looking at the three briefly before bowing politely.

And at that moment, time seemed to have stopped for Sasuke - for this child's eyes were even odder than her hair. They were green - vibrant green - brighter than the color of jade, but dimmer than emerald. Not in his six years has he seen a color so odd, so unusual, and so... magnificent.

Sasuke then wondered how pink and green could possibly look good together as it looked good on her.

* * *

For the past two weeks since she arrived, Sasuke told himself that he hated her. He cared not if her eyes were dazzling, or her smile was just as bright. He just did. Mainly because although Itachi hogged most of his father's attention, Itachi gave Sasuke his – except now.

Sasuke scowled.

Now, Itachi was behind Sakura, teaching her how to throw a kunai.  _A damn kunai,_  Sasuke thought, absently throwing one of the pieces of metal sprawled on the ground to one of the log targets and hitting the bull's eye.

It was unfair that his own older brother was teaching somebody who wasn't an Uchiha ninja technique. For one, Sasuke made it a point to learn how to throw a kunai by himself. Another, the way Sakura's eyes lit up when she hit something close to the target (but not actually the target itself) made him feel something foreign in his chest.

He knew not why it was there, or what it was, but he knew the feeling irked him so.

Again, he hit the target, glancing at his brother who didn't even seem to notice he was there, and asked for the millionth time to whoever it was governing everything from up above why he had to bring the pink-haired girl into their lives.

Sasuke irritably poked the ground with a rather long piece of wood as he contemplated his existence when a familiar voice broke his train of thought.

"What are you doing, Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke's head shot up and his eyes glared as hard as it could.

Before him, Sakura stood hands behind her and with the biggest smile he'd ever seen, eyes wide and curious. In his moment of contemplation, he didn't even notice that the short training session she and his brother had was over.

"It's none of your business," the boy mumbled, going back to poking the ground.

Sakura, being the ever-persistent, little pocketful of sunshine she was, crouched down to examine further what the little Uchiha was so busy about.

"What's that?" she asked.

"It's a stick."

"What do you need the stick for?

"I'm boring a hole on the ground."

Sakura frowned. She saw no significance to what he was doing, but pressed on further. "What are you creating a hole on the ground for?"

Sasuke's head shot up again, his face masked with irritation.

"Go away. You're annoying," he said in between his gritting teeth before he stood, turned around, and walked away.

And as Sasuke's retreated away, his eyes barely caught a glimpse of Sakura's fallen expression.

* * *

It was almost dusk when Sasuke finally got out of his room where he spent the whole day sulking. (He  _had_ been rather unproductive that day.) He absently walked towards the kitchen, heading specifically at the direction of the fridge where he poked around for his favorite food.

Which, oddly wasn't anywhere to be found.

_Where the hell did all my tomatoes go?_

And so, with a small part of him wallowing in disappointment, Sasuke drew his head back, planning on going back to his room when a petite figure holding a plate of rather neatly-sliced tomatoes blocked his way.

"Hey, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura cheerfully greeted; Sasuke's onyx eyes narrowed.

"I'm sorry if I made you angry earlier," she said, her tone sincere. "Here, I sliced you some tomatoes! I know you haven't eaten anything since breakfast."

She smiled as she handed over the porcelain plate to him, blinking as he made no move to take it whatsoever.

"I'm not hungry," Sasuke dismissed, walking past her. "Annoying."

* * *

Sasuke knew he should just talk to her and apologize. But as he looked at her saddened eyes as the Uchiha household (and Sakura) ate dinner, he found that he couldn't bring himself to do it.

Maybe because every second more he spent with her sent up a wave of raw anger through him - whether he was angry with the pink-haired girl or with himself, he didn't know.

"How has your day been, Sasuke?"

Sasuke looked at his mother, curtly saying he was fine and then went back to eating his dinner. (He vaguely wished he'd taken the tomatoes Sakura offered him earlier, because right now, he needed tomatoes to calm himself down.)

"And how about you, Sakura?"

Sasuke froze. His obsidian eyes subtly looked up to examine her expression as she answered.

"It was great, Mikoto-sama," she said, smiling sweetly at his mother. "Itachi-nii-sama taught me how to throw a kunai!"

"Really, now? Did Sasuke train with you?"

Sasuke felt all four pairs of eyes look at him.

"I was busy with something else," he shrugged.

Awkward silence followed after that. He knew his mother was still awaiting explanation but Sasuke was to be  _damned_ before he explained further.

Pushing his chair back, Sasuke stood up. "Thanks for the meal," he said as he stalked away to his room.

After a while, Mikoto sighed and got back to eating the rest of her meal with Itachi and Fugaku, but Sakura's green eyes never left the place where Sasuke had sat during dinner.

* * *

Sasuke's eyes flashed up when he heard his room's door slide open. Sakura was standing by it, a small hand still on one side of Sasuke's door.

"Don't you ever knock?" Sasuke snapped, glaring at the pink-haired girl. Sasuke could mentally hear his mother saying things along the context of, "Sasuke, where are your manners!"

"I-I'm sorry… I –" Sakura started, fumbling with the hem of her red shirt.

(Pink, green  _and_ red – who  _knew_ right?)

"Why are you even here?" Sasuke gritted through his teeth, glaring at the girl.

"I'm here to apologize for –"

"I meant, why are you here?!" Sasuke said, his voice raising. He was distinctly aware of how close his room was to the dining room. "You are not even an Uchiha!"

She looked at him with those green, green doe-like eyes in astonishment. "What – I – I never -"

"That's what you're trying to do, right?! You're trying to take Itachi-nii-san from me, and Kaa-san and Otou-san –"

"Sasuke-kun, I would never –"

"Well you're not going to have them, because you're not even part of our family –"

"Sasuke-kun –"

"Why are you even still here –"

"SASUKE-KUN!"

Sasuke stiffened. He hadn't realized that he just lost his temper. Sakura was looking at him now, green, green eyes watery from tears.

But she looked at him straight in the eye with conviction oh-so-strong and innocence oh-so-pure.

"Sasuke-kun," she repeated in a mellow way, head rising a little bight higher, "I respect Fugaku-sama, Mikoto-sama and Itachi-nii-sama with all my heart. I am sorry you feel that way, but I want you to know…"

Sasuke challenged her with his glare.

Sakura gulped, but she continued with steady determination. "…I would never,  _ever_ do anything to endanger my part here. I… I know I'm not an Uchiha, and I know I would never be, but you, Itachi-nii-sama, Fugaku-sama and Mikoto-sama are the only ones close to family I have left and – " Her hands clenched at her sides, traces of tears (If there had been any; Sasuke couldn't remember anymore.) gone. " – I would never do anything to destroy what we have, even how little it is at the moment, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke continued to stare at her, his eyes slightly narrowed, but the posture he had kept – the  _proud_ posture he spent so hard on keeping – slackened.

He never noticed how Mikoto had stood by his door, listening to the children's conversations, or how Sakura marched out of the room, her fists still clenched, her knuckles white, and her eyes straightforward.

Because at that time, all young Sasuke could think about was how he was going to keep the girl close to him and how she would always,  _always_  be his.

 


	2. Sasuke-kun!

**April**

Young Uchiha Sasuke watched as a certain pink-haired girl's eyes widened at the sight of her namesake.

"What are you so giddy about?" he snapped, his arms on his chest. They were wandering around the Uchiha district (care of Mikoto who again and again pestered Sasuke to take Sakura- _chan_ on a tour) and all the while people kept on asking him if Sakura- _chan_ was his  _girlfriend_. Sasuke almost gagged. As if! Who would take an ignorant – completely  _dense_ – girl as a  _girlfriend_?

"I'm sorry, Sasuke-kun," Sakura turned to him and giggled. "It's just that I haven't seen a Sakura Tree before and I never imagined it to be  _this_ pretty."

Sasuke nodded, but in truth, he actually heard nothing. Sakura lost him at " _kun_."

 _Sasuke-kun…_ Sasuke mused. Why was he being so bothered about the way she called his name? It wasn't the first time that he was called that – his aunts and uncles called him Sasuke-kun  _all_ time, but why was Sakura's "Sasuke-kun" different, somehow?

"There are no Sakura Trees in Amegakure."

Luckily, Sasuke's mind was already back on track when Sakura said that statement.

"There's only moss and rain – ack!" Sakura turned away from the Sakura Tree, shuddering. She started walking again, looking around at the different varieties of plants found all over Konoha.

"You're from Amegakure?" Sasuke asked. Come to think of it, he didn't really know where she came from, and he never really tried asking before, until she mentioned it. Sasuke always thought his father stumbled upon the orphaned pink-haired girl while on his travels and brought her home.

Sakura vaguely nodded, but said nothing else. There was an odd expression on her face that he couldn't quite pick out.

She almost seemed… sad, somehow.

Just when Sasuke was about to ask her what was wrong, Sakura suddenly squealed and ran to a field full of bright yellow flowers.

"Sasuke-kun! Sasuke-kun!" she called him, jumping up and down.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and followed, taking his precious time.

"Sasuke-kun, what are  _these_ flowers called?" she asked, eyes full of excitement, as she pointed to one of the many yellow flowers.

Sasuke thought of it for a moment. "Daffodils," he replied.

"Daffodils," Sakura whispered. Sasuke didn't hear her say it, but he read her lips to decipher that she had just echoed his words.

Sasuke stared oddly at the girl _. What was she so excited about?_  Sasuke was about to ask again, when Sakura turned around, her eyes shining in the sunlight and her smile as bright as the yellow flowers all around her.

( _pink and green and red and yellow -)_

"They're pretty." Her smile widened.

Suddenly, Sasuke realized he couldn't remember what he was going to say anymore. In fact, he couldn't  _think_ of anything to say because as he saw the bright, sunny smile young Sakura gave him, all he was aware of was his fluttering heart.

Sasuke brought a hand to his chest; Sakura was looking back at the daffodils.

_What… is this?_

* * *

**May**

Sakura bobbed up and down at her seat.

Sasuke looked at her like she was an alien from another planet, while Itachi watched the girl with a glint of amusement in his dark eyes. Fugaku, however, was too engrossed in whatever it was he was reading to even engage himself to whatever the children (or at least, Sakura) was so excited about.

"Mikoto-sama! Mikoto-sama! Mikoto-sama!"

"Yes, Sakura-chan?" Mikoto's voice answered from the kitchen. Sasuke could distinctly hear the pots and plate being turned, but he paid no heed as he continued looking at Sakura (who was still bobbing) rather oddly.

"When are we going to the festival, Mikoto-sama?" Sakura asked, a very, very,  _very_ happy smile plastered on her face.

Right then, Mikoto emerged from the kitchen, with a pot of steaming food in her hands. Sasuke and Itachi straightened at their seats, aware of how their mother could be when it came to table etiquette. Even Fugaku put his readings aside and leaned back on his chair a bit.

When Mikoto placed the steaming pot beside the table, Sasuke prepared his snicker when Mikoto would inevitably say, "Sakura-chan, please stop bobbing up and down by the table," but, to his dismay, Mikoto said nothing.

Instead, the former jounin simply put one hand on Sakura's head. However, realizing that Sakura's head had  _finally_ stopped bobbing up and down, he realized that his mother must have excreted more force than necessary.

Sasuke grinned wickedly to himself.

"Maybe this weekend, dear," Mikoto answered, propping down on the floor and tucking in her feet behind her. She looked at everyone around the table before saying, "Shall we?"

Sakura was the only one that nodded vigorously.

"Itadakimasu!"

* * *

**June**

"Hey, Sasuke-kun! Sasuke-kun!"

Sasuke raised his head to look at the pink-haired girl who was practically  _skipping_ before him.

"What?" Sasuke said grumpily.

Sakura, unperturbed, answered, "We're attending another festival, right? What makes this one different from the last one?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. Could this girl get any denser? "Last time was a Spring Festival. We're attending one that's welcoming summer."

Sakura's mouth fell into an 'o' before she blinked a couple of times, smiled and went back to skipping.

Sasuke grunted. What was she so excited about? Festivals happened  _all the time_ in Konoha. Sasuke had to admit that there had been a time when he had been so excited in attending one, but after so many (each of them with Mikoto forcing them to spend some  _family time_ together), Sasuke couldn't find it in himself to be excited anymore.

 _It's almost like she had never attended a festival all her life!_ Sasuke muttered to himself.

"There are no festivals in Amegakure," he heard his older brother's voice say. Sasuke looked at him in interest. It was almost like he had read his mind!

"It's raining all the time, so most of the people just stay indoors," Itachi continued, looking ahead.

Sasuke frowned. That was right. Sakura mentioned that she was from Amegakure - what brought her to Konoha, then?

Sasuke was about to ask when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Sasuke turned to see his mother calling Sakura near.

Sakura - the ever energetic ball of hyperness she was - happily trotted towards Mikoto.

"Here," Mikoto said, giving each of the two children some Ryo. "Go enjoy yourselves. We can meet back here in an hour."

As Sasuke took his money from his mother's hand, he noticed Sakura's face light up instantaneously. The last time they attended a festival (last month), since Sasuke had forgotten to ask his parents for money, they just resorted to watching the festival, but not participating in it. Sasuke could remember the longing expression on Sakura's eyes as she watched the children play different games and eat different kinds of food.

Almost like a cue, Sakura turned to look at him, with a wide smile.

"Let's go, Sasuke-kun!" she said, taking his hand.

Much to his surprise, the moment Sakura started dragging him towards the lights, he found himself holding her hand back.

* * *

**July**

If there was one thing that could describe Uchiha Sasuke, it would be that he was  _not_ a morning person.

So, when he awoke on the 23rd of July to the heavy footfalls on the corridor, he groaned and covered his ears. When he realized that the footfalls were beginning to become louder and louder, Sasuke started wishing to every God he knew that the footfalls just pass by his room.

Sadly, they didn't.

In fact, when Sasuke heard his sliding door open, Sasuke realized the footfalls were, in fact,  _destined_ for his room.

Sasuke feigned sleep.  _Really? This early in the morning?_

Sasuke heard the footfalls grow louder again. They stopped, just shy of his side of the bed.

He felt a poke on his side. "Hey, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke groaned. Of  _course_ it had to be  _her_.

Seeing that Sasuke made no move to acknowledge her whatsoever, Sakura poked his side again. "Hey, Sasuke-kun, wake up!"

Sasuke opened one eye to glare at her, and then closed it again.

_Ignore it. She'll go away. When you open your eyes, she'll disappear._

But she didn't. What she  _did,_  however, was shake him until his head hurt. "HEY, SASUKE-KUN! WAKE UPPPP!"

Sasuke swatted her thin arms away in irritation. "I'm awake! I'm awake!"

Sasuke hoped that when he gave her the hardest glare he could muster, she would whimper, cry and go away to leave him in peace. But, of course, she had to do the opposite. (Yes, she always did the opposite of what you expected her to do, didn't she?) Instead of running away, she stayed where she was, hands behind her, and with that trademark smile on her face.

"Guess what day it is today, Sasuke-kun!"

Sasuke opened his mouth to answer ("The day you finally go away and leave me alone?"), but a key-chain sized fuuma shuriken suddenly blocked his view of the girl.

Sasuke's brows furrowed. "What -"

"Happy birthday!"

Sasuke looked pass the shuriken to look at her seriously. He was about to retort that he wouldn't do anything with a  _toy_ shuriken (It was a useless, useless gift!), but that smile on her face stopped him.

Reluctantly, Sasuke took the key-chain from her hands and muttered a low, "Thank you."

Her smile brightened, delighted by his response, and she skipped out of his room.

Sasuke stared at his hand, the metal reflecting the sunlight from his window.

Slowly, a smile started to form in his face.

* * *

**August**

Sasuke sprawled lazily on the floor, looking at nothing in particular. It was the day Itachi promised to spar with him, but it was  _too damn hot_ outside and Mikoto forbid them to step out of the house. ("You might get sunburn!")

So, as per usual, Sasuke was stuck again ( _surprise, surprise_!) with the pink-haired girl who sat by the porch, swinging her legs back and forth alternately, unperturbed by the heat.

"How can you have so much energy at a day like this," Sasuke slurred, the heat draining him. "It's too hot."

"This is the first time I'm going to experience summer, Sasuke-kun," she answered, turning her head to him slightly. "I want to enjoy it!"

Sasuke rolled his obsidian eyes."Yes, because it  _always rains in Amegakure_ ," he drawled sarcastically.

Sakura nodded, but as he looked at her, he could see the glint of melancholy in her eyes.

Somehow, that left the young Uchiha disturbed until the end of the day.

* * *

**September**

Sasuke walked behind his mother and alongside Sakura one morning on the marketplace. After Sakura's insistent pleas about coming along for shopping, Mikoto finally obliged, but not before stating a condition first. This, somehow, some way, involved Sasuke coming along as well.

The young Uchiha scowled. The moment he had found out about the condition, he blatantly refused, but Sakura had managed to force him out of his conviction.

He knew it. He knew that he should have taken Itachi's advice when he walked by his brothers room that very same morning with a condensing smirk on his face.

"Hide. She's coming for you," he had said. Sasuke barely had time to ask who because Sakura was already in front of him begging him to ("Oh, please, please, please, please, Sasuke-kun!") come with her.

Sasuke was so engrossed in his brooding that he failed to notice that Mikoto had stopped walking, causing him to bump into her.

Sakura, having seen the whole event, stifled her giggles. Sasuke, in turn, glared.

"Good morning, Lady Uchiha," Sasuke craned his head to look at the woman in front of his mother.

"Good morning, Kaede-san," the Uchiha matriarch greeted back at lady named Kaede, who had auburn hair that was tied into a neat bun.

Sasuke noticed that Sakura was craning her head too, but not because of the same reason. Sasuke's eyes followed what young Sakura was looking at and saw a young girl, about their age, hiding behind the woman called Kaede. Sasuke could just barely make out her short dark hair.

"Is that Hinata-chan with you?" Mikoto asked. Sasuke saw the dark haired girl's face turn beet red before bowing.

"H-hello," Hinata stammered before scurrying back behind Kaede.

Sasuke felt a light tap on his shoulder. "Go on and introduce yourselves, Sasuke and Sakura," Mikoto said.

Sakura, excited at meeting a new friend leapt at the chance of introducing herself. "Hi, Hinata-chan! I'm Sakura!" she said, flashing a bright smile.

And contrary to Sakura's informal introduction, Sasuke bowed formally. "Hello," he said, straightening up and offering an uncharacteristic smile of his own. "My name is Sasuke. It's nice to finally meet you, Hyuuga-sama."

Hinata jumped at the sound of the honorific, but bowed back politely. "L-likewise, Sasuke-san."

It was when Sasuke turned away from the Hyuuga heiress that he noticed Sakura gaping at him.

"What?" he asked, slightly irritated.

Sakura pouted and pointed an accusing finger at him. "Why are you never that polite with me?!"

Sasuke just laughed and stuck his tongue out.

* * *

**October**

When his academy teacher called him to demonstrate a particular sequence of taijutsu for the class, Uchiha Sasuke was torn between refusing and accepting.

He wanted to accept because he was proud of being chosen and to uplift the Uchiha name, but he also wanted to refuse because of...

"There he goes again."

"I know. My mother said Uchiha Sasuke doesn't really have anything to be proud of. His older brother was much, much better than him when he was at his age."

...well, because  _that_.

Sasuke clenched his fists, the beginnings of a refusal at the back of his mind, when he heard two of his classmates squawk in pain.

"Ow! What the hell was that for!" his classmate glared at Sakura, who, Sasuke assumed, must have taken the time to punch the two obnoxious boys in the head.

Sakura completely ignored the two boys' retorts and happily waved at Sasuke. "Go for it, Sasuke-kun!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes at her childishness, (He didn't need her protecting him, damn it!) but performed the taijutsu sequence anyway.

Not for the class, however, but for the girl with the green, green eyes and the sweet, sincere smile.

* * *

**November**

The November wind was cold, and Sasuke could just feel the beginnings of winter just around the corner. The young Uchiha paid no heed to this, however, and continued standing outside the Uchiha manor.

"You should know Fugaku-sama is proud of you, too."

Sasuke glared at the girl beside him. He had detected her presence since she stepped out into the foyer. "You listened?" Sasuke accused, feeling raw anger in his chest.

"No," Sakura answered truthfully, "I guessed... but I was right, wasn't I? About what's bothering you?"

Sasuke said nothing, but he guessed that his lack of answer had just confirmed Sakura's assumption.

"I will never be like Itachi-nii," Sasuke said quietly.

He hadn't expected Sakura to say something else, but when she did, she surprised him.

"You don't need to. You're Sasuke-kun," she said, as if it was reason enough.

And when Sakura turned to smile at him, he realized that it was.

* * *

**December**

When Sasuke woke up, Sakura was already on the front porch, staring out into nothingness. At first Sasuke ignored it, but when he passed by the place again and saw that she hadn't moved, concern immediately crossed his features.

"Hey," he called, trying to sound impassive. "What are you doing?"

Sakura blinked and looked at him. "Hm? Oh - I'm waiting for it to snow," she answered.

Sasuke's brows furrowed. "It doesn't snow in Konoha," he said to her bluntly.

Something crossed Sakura's features - something Sasuke had never seen her wear before. As she looked at him with her green, green eyes, Sasuke looked back and saw sadness. And it wasn't the pouting momentary sadness he usually saw when he refused to play with her or eat with her or train with her - it was  _real_ sadness. For the first time since he'd met her, Sakura wasn't  _smiling._  Somehow and in some way, the thought of it scared him.

 **"** Sakura -"

"Oh." Sakura smiled, but he knew it was fake. Her smile hadn't reached her eyes.

Sasuke's obsidian eyes narrowed. "Sakura -"

"Have you eaten breakfast? Mikoto-sama went somewhere today. She left you some food -"

"Sakura -"

"And Itachi-nii-sama said he would help you train later when he gets back -"

"Would you stop interrupting me!" Sasuke yelled, placing his hands on her shoulders. They were silent for a while, and Sasuke didn't know what to make of the fact that Sakura did all that she could to avoid his penetrating gaze. In a softer voice, Sasuke asked, "What's wrong?"

Sakura looked up at him for a moment before looking away again. "I - I just wanted to see the snow... Kaa-san said -" Sakura immediately stopped herself for some reason Sasuke didn't know. She then quickly pulled herself away from the young Uchiha's grasp and trotted to the kitchen.

"I'll re-heat your breakfast," she said, and Sasuke stared at the white circle embedded on each of Sakura's clothes.

* * *

**January**

Sasuke shoved a round object unto Sakura's arms. Sakura blinked up at him.

"Sasuke-kun, what -"

"I couldn't do it," Sasuke interrupted.

Sakura blinked again. "Couldn't do what?" She tilted her head to one side.

"I couldn't make snow," Sasuke answered through his gritted teeth. He was looking everywhere, but Sakura, ashamed at his failure. "Aniki said that it had something to do with elemental affiliation, but if I could already use the sharingan I -"

He stopped when he felt a soft, warm hand on his left arm. "I love it, Sasuke-kun. Thank you," she said and he  _dared_ himself to turn his head and look at her face.

And when he did, he forgot his failure, and he forgot his shame because all he cared was that Sakura was smiling again.

And it had been because of him.

* * *

**February**

Sasuke thought Valentine's Day was the  _stupidest_ occasion on the planet. Well, because first of all, Sasuke absolutely  _hated_ anything sweet and second was because whenever it was Valentine's Day, he couldn't do any training.

The occasion hadn't always been like this for him, however. The flock of girls following him everywhere to give him chocolates only stared when he had attended the academy. He would take the chocolates and mutter a polite thank you, but try his best to avoid them for the rest of the day.

So when Sakura skipped over to his room later that afternoon, Sasuke found himself glaring as hard as he could.

"Oh, Sasuke-kun, you know that you can't have too many chocolates," Sakuta giggled.

"Chocolates make me sick," Sasuke spat, still glaring.

"Even mine?" Sakura asked playfully.

Sasuke just narrowed his eyes, challenging her to try.

Sakura, already unfazed by Sasuke's glares, plopped down beside him and gave him a small red box. "Here you go," she said, smiling at him.

Sasuke gruffed, crossed his arms and looked away.

"Sasuke-kun, please? I even asked Mikoto-sama to help me with his, you know," she pleaded, pouting at him.

_Don't look. Just ignore her._

"Sasuke- _kun_!"

 _"_ Fine!" Sasuke grumpily said, snatching the red box from her hands. Sakura squeaked in delight. "Now go away," he barked.

Sakura just laughed at him and left the room still skipping.

As he opened her box, Sasuke prayed to every god he knew that the chocolates from Sakura wouldn't be  _half_ as bad as the others.

And when Sasuke swallowed the last chocolate ball, he realized that Sakura's chocolates tasted like home _._

* * *

**March**

Only heaven knew why the young Uchiha Sasuke was going back and forth from his room to the kitchen.

Well, heaven and Uchiha Mikoto, of course.

The Uchiha matriarch laughed to herself while watching her youngest son's antics. Mikoto had accidentally (oh, most certainly  _not_ purposely - what kind of mother would want to watch her son go up and about in such a distraught manner?) slipped that today, March 28th, was Sakura's birthday. Mikoto saw her son immediately go rigid after her revelation and politely excuse himself from breakfast (Sakura wasn't awake yet), something that earned curious glances from Itachi and Fugaku.

"Kaa-san?"

"Hmm, yes, Sasuke?"

Sasuke frowned at her mother. "I can't find where the scissors are."

"Second drawer on the right, dear," Mikoto answered, as if she wasn't paying close attention to what her son was doing.

"Thank you," Sasuke said, as he opened the drawer and brisk-walked to his room.

It was almost ten o'clock in the morning when Mikoto heard Sakura squeal in delight at what Sasuke had given her.

Her son had given her a hand-made birthday card because he didn't have anywhere to buy from so early in the morning, and because he didn't have time to simply  _think_ of what to give her. But she knew it had been enough.

After all, it was always Sasuke that could make Sakura smile.

* * *

**Five years later**

"Hey, Sasuke-kun, have I told you that you suck at drawing?"

"Hn."


	3. Family

Your name?

_Haruno Sakura!_  
 _**Uchiha Sasuke.** _

Your age?

_I'm eight-years-old!_  
 _**Seven-years-old.** _  
_Ha-ha, Sasuke-kun, I'm older than you! You should call me Onee-chan!_  
 _**You're only older by three months! And you act like a five-year-old...** _  
_Hey!_

Favorite color?

_Pink!_  
 _**Black. Pink is for sissies.** _  
_WHAT WAS THAT?!_

Favorite food?

_Dumplings! ... oh-oh! And ice cream!_  
 _**Tomatoes.** _  
_Who the hell likes tomatoes, Sasuke-kun?_  
 _**I do. Got a problem with that?** _

Favorite animal?

_Dogs! Especially puppies!_  
 _**Hawk... I think.** _

Who would you like to marry someday?

_Wh-what...?! I-uh..._  
 _**...What is the significance of asking this kind of question?** _

Your ambition?

_I'd like to become a strong ninja*, and to be able to protect the ones I love!_  
 _**To become the leader of the Konoha Military Police Department, just like my father.** _

What do you do in your past-time?

_I like reading books a lot!Oh, and playing with Sasuke-kun!_  
 _**Training with my big brother... and keeping Sakura company, I guess.** _

What is your dream?

_To live a happy life with my loved ones!_  
 _**I want to make my father proud of me.**_

* * *

**April - Approximately 6 hours before present**

Uchiha Sasuke was angry - no, Uchiha Sasuke was  _livid._ Well... as livid as a child could be anyway.

He was sitting alone on a swing, his chin on his palms, glaring at everything and nothing at the same time. He was waiting for Sakura, again, who was yet to come back from wherever that blond girl she's always been with lately took her.

Of all the things Sasuke hated, he hated waiting the most. Time wasted on wasting could be time spent on training, he would always say. And now, he needed training the most.

Sasuke was the top of his year at the ninja academy and he got lessons faster than anyone else, but compared to how his brother did, he knew it wasn't enough. Sasuke was seven-years-old and he knew it was a good four years before he could graduate. He was exceptional, yes, but not exceptional enough to finish ninja schooling this year and become ANBU four years later. Sasuke glared harder. Itachi had done all those things, so why couldn't he?

... And where the  _hell_ was Sakura, anyway?!

"Sasuke-kun!"

Sasuke turned his death glare at the little girl who stood in front of him, but she seemed oblivious.

"Let's go home!" she cheerfully said, offering him her hand.

Sasuke's obsidian eyes narrowed. "Where have you been?" he asked, ignoring her extended hand. "And what," he pointed at the red ribbon on her hair, "is  _that?_ "

Sakura, seeing that Sasuke made no *sign what-so-ever of taking her hand and strolling into the sunset, absently touched the tip of the red ribbon tied to her haid. "Oh, this?" She smiled. "Ino-chan gave it to me. She said I looked cute with it."

A vein popped on Sasuke's forehead.  _Ino... that loud-mouthed girl who always took Sakura away from him -_

"Ne, Sasuke-kun, do  _you_ think I look good with it?"

Sasuke's train of thought stopped for a moment as he took her appearance in. He supposed she looked cuter with the ribbon on... but he was certainly not going to tell her that.

...So he shrugged, instead. "You look the same."

Sakura dropped her hand. "Oh."

And for a moment, Sasuke felt like biting back the comment. He knew he couldn't, though, so he took her hand instead.

Sakura's green eyes looked at him questioningly.

"Let's go home," he said, standing up.

Sakura blinked a couple of times before smiling slowly. "Okay!"

* * *

**September – Approximately 7 months before present**

"I can walk on my own, you know," Sasuke said, turning head away from his older brother.

Itachi turned to the boy he carried at his back and smiled softly. "Don't push yourself," he said softly.

Sasuke heard a snicker from the girl walking beside his brother. "Nii-sama's right," Sakura said, sticking her tongue out at him. "I mean, who's stupid enough to slip and twist his ankle on training, right?"

"Shut up," Sasuke rolled his eyes and glared. He was about to add something else ("Who's stupid enough to miss every target at training practice?") when he saw a familiar building when they were passing through.

Sakura followed Sasuke's line of vision, her green eyes curious, and Itachi, noticing his brother's silence asked, "What's up?"

"That building is where Otou-san works at, isn't it?" Sasuke asked, still looking at the building.

"It says 'Konoha Military Police Force'," Sakura read.

"Yes," Itachi answered. "It's their headquarters."

Sasuke barely noticed that they had stopped because he was looking at a large insignia on the middle of the building – it was the Uchiha Clan symbol in the middle of a shuriken. "I was wondering…" he started, "Why is the crest Uchiha Clan part of the police force insignia?"

"Well, you finally noticed, then," Itachi commented absently, staring at the insignia himself.

"Of course I did." Sasuke glared half-heartedly.

"What's the story behind this, then?" Sakura asked Itachi, her doe-like eyes patiently waiting for an answer.

"Let me see if I can explain it for you," Itachi started, addressing the both of them. "It was the Uchiha Clan's earliest ancestors who established the police force here in the village, so when they created the symbol for the organization, they used the family crest.

"Since a long time ago, the Uchiha has always ensured the peace here. The crest is the testament of the clan's pride and a way of life, centuries old.

"Over the years the Uchiha clan has grown smaller… but even now, nearly all of us are a part of the force and work to uphold the peace in the village," Itatchi's onyx eyes looked at the younger Uchiha with a smirk on his face as he continued, "which is good because only the most exceptional of shinobi can weed out the criminals hiding among their brethren."

Sasuke's eyes widened in amazement. He had never thought that his father's job involved something so… noble… and just. "Wow," Sasuke murmured. "Otou-san is the coolest."

"Itachi-nii-sama," Sakura called out softly. Itachi turned to the pink-haired girl who seemed lost in her thoughts. "Are you going to join the force, too?"

Itachi seemed to think of it for a moment before answering. "Well… I'm not sure."

"Why not?" It was Sasuke who asked this time. Itachi just looked at his brother, offering no answer, but Sasuke continued. "When I grow up, I'm definitelygoing to enter the police force. And Otou-san's coming to tomorrow's entrance ceremony – it's the first step to my dream!"

"That's right," Itachi said.

When Itachi turned again and continued walking towards their house, Sasuke hadn't noticed Sakura lingering by the building, watching the insignia with an expression of longing in her face.

As they reached the Uchiha District, Fugaku stepped out from the shadows, his arms crossed in his chest and a glare present on his face.

"You're late Itachi," he said, staring straight at his oldest son. "What have you been doing? I need to talk to you."

Sasuke, who was still on Itachi's back, immediately noticed the emblem on his father's jounin attire.  _The Uchiha Clan symbol in the middle of a shuriken…_

"Let's go," his father said with finality before turning around and walking to lead the way.

* * *

"That's my boy – for you to have come this far just six months after making chuunin," Fugaku said, eyeing his oldest son.

Sasuke tried to ignore the hurt in his chest at the fact that Fugaku had made no move whatsoever to acknowledge his presence in the room.

"About tomorrow's special mission," Fugaku continued, "I've decided to go along with you."

Sasuke stiffened.

 _Tomorrow_?

 _But tomorrow was_ –

"If you complete tomorrow's mission tomorrow, Itachi, your entrance into ANBU Black Opts will be assured." Fugaku's black eyes turned into crimson red. "Do you understand?"

 _If Otou-san wasn't going to be there tomorrow_ -

"You don't have to worry about me out there," Itachi answered. "And, more importantly –"

Itachi met Sasuke's eyes and with a nod, encouraged him to speak. "Otou-san… tomorrow afternoon is –"

"This mission tomorrow – it's not just about you. Your performance will reflect on our entire clan."

Sasuke frowned and looked away. It was no use. He was never going to listen to him. It was always Itachi. Always,  _always, always_ Itachi.

"Actually," Itachi started. "I'm going to pass on the mission tomorrow."

Fugaku's eyes immediately widened. "What?! You have to! Do you understand how important this is?! You'll do  _no such thing_!"

_Always, always, always –_

"But tomorrow is Sasuke-kun's entrance ceremony in the Academy!"

Three pairs of onyx eyes looked at the pink-haired girl beside Sasuke.

 _Sakura_?

He had forgotten she was even  _in_ there.

Sakura looked straight at Fugaku's sharingan with fierce determination. "You cannot  _not_ come tomorrow to the ceremony, Fugaku-sama," she said with a softer voice, but the determination was still there. Sasuke watched as the pink-haired girl spoke for him.

 _Why_?

Seconds ticked by.

 _Why did she care so much_?

"Our family has to attend," Itachi followed, looking back at his father's eyes. "It's customary at the academy. You received the notes, remember?"

Fugaku's eyes widened and red faded into black.

"Alright, I get it," he said, standing up. "I'll be at the academy tomorrow."

And as Fugaku exited the room, Sasuke slowly looked at the girl beside him who was still clutching the hem of her white dress like she was holding unto her life.

Slowly, he reached out to her clenched fists.

And slowly, her eyes met his.

_Thank you._

Her grip on her dress loosened.

 _Thank you for caring_.

* * *

Later that night, when Sasuke went to the kitchen to get a drink before going to sleep, he saw Sakura sitting by the front porch by herself staring into the dark sky.

"Hey," he called. Sakura turned her head to him and smiled.

"Hey, Sasuke-kun," she greeted.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. There was something… off about her smile this time. "Why are you still up?" he asked, tilting his head to one side.

Something crossed Sakura's face and Sasuke couldn't quite put what it was.

"Sasuke-kun, do you think I –" Sakura hesitated for a moment before she sighed. "D-Do you think I could… enroll at the Academy, too? And attend the ceremony even if I… don't have…" she trailed off, but he knew what she was going to say.

And so he flicked her forehead – hard.

"Ow! What was that for, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura pouted as she glared at the raven-haired boy.

"Annoying," Sasuke scoffed. "Of course you can."

_You're a part of this family, too._

* * *

"I want to congratulate all of you! You have a lot of hard work ahead of you as you walk the path of the shinobi –"

The Sandaime was speaking in of the academy students, but Sasuke was only half-listening. He turned his head behind him at the crowd of people and relief immediately flooded through him as he saw his father's familiar figure standing not so far away.

"I expect great things. I know you will make Konohagakure proud.

_He's here._

Sasuke smiled.

_He's here._

* * *

"It seems like it was only yesterday when you were here for Itachi, huh?" The man in jounin attire looked from Fugaku to Sasuke. "And you look just like him!"

Sasuke smiled, feeling his neck go red.

"Thank you for your help," Fugaku said bowing his head slightly.

"It was nothing. It's been a pleasure," the jounin said. "That boy of yours is a true prodigy – there hasn't been anyone like him in the history of the academy!"

"You're too kind."

The jounin laughed. "Not at all!" He turned to Sasuke again. "We expect big things from you as well, Sasuke."

Fugaku looked at his son as well. "Become a fine shinobi… just like your brother."

 _Just like your brother_.

"Yes… Otou-san."

* * *

**October – Approximately 6 months before present**

_"_ _My mother said Uchiha Sasuke doesn't really have anything to be proud of. His older brother was much, much better than him when he was at his age."_

" – and these girls started teasing me about my wide forehead and, OH I SO WANTED TO PUNCH THEM – hey, Sasuke-kun, are you still even listening?"

Sasuke nodded absently, but the truth was, he had missed half of what Sakura had said. There was a training session again at the Academy today and although he tried his best to drown out all the whispers around him, he couldn't help but be affected by what his classmates had to say.

He was tired, so tired, of being compared to Itachi, so,  _so_ tired of living underneath his shadow.

Beside him, Sakura frowned and stopped walking. "Sasuke-kun," she called, but Sasuke made no move to slow down.

"Hey, Sasuke-kun." She reached for his hand and he stopped. "What's wrong?"

Sasuke pressed his lips together and looked away. "It's nothing," he said, taking his hand from her and walking away.

_Become just like your brother._

* * *

**November – Approximately 5 months before present**

Sasuke walked at the wooden corridors of the manor, on his way to his room one night when he passed by his father's room.

"That's my boy," he heard him say. Sasuke stopped walking. "You'll go far in the ANBU ranks, no doubt about it."

Sasuke clenched his fists.

_Become just like your brother._

* * *

**December – Approximately 4 months before present**

Sasuke panted heavily in the middle of the training grounds. He missed –  _again_! Why couldn't he ever get it right?! Itachi had hit all the targets in one try, so why?! Why couldn't he do the same?!

And so he decided. He was going to try again.

_One more time._

"Sasuke-kun…"

_It's still not good enough._

"Sasuke-kun, let's go home…"

_I've still got a long way to… go…_

Around him, the forest grew blurry, and all he remembered was black… and a certain voice calling out to him.

* * *

"Sasuke, this is your day-off, dear. You need to give your body some rest," Mikoto said, dressing her youngest son's bruises and cuts.

"Mikoto-sama is right, Sasuke-kun! I was so worried when you passed out! I didn't know what to do!" Of course Sakura was beside him, helping Mikoto with her bandaging.

Sasuke opened his mouth to speak, but forgot what he was going to say when he felt a searing pain on his left arm. "Ow!" he cried.

"You don't have to push yourself too hard," Mikoto continued.

Sasuke frowned. "I know but… they say Onii-san graduated from the academy in just a year."

"Times have changed, Sasuke… and… your brother is… special," Mikoto said slowly, looking at Sasuke's sad face.

"It's okay, Sasuke-kun! You're strong, too!" Sakura piped, smiling at him.

Sasuke just looked at her with a nod, remembering the events from just a month before.

_"That's my boy."_

_Otou-san…_

Sasuke clenched his fists.

… _I wanted you… to say that to me, too._

* * *

**January – Approximately 3 months before present**

Sasuke sat with excitement before his father. Their report cards had been released that day, and he was happy to know that he had fared well. Sakura, whose grades were also among the highest, jumped in joy when he saw his, but Sasuke cared only for the opinion of one person.

Fugaku's onyx eyes skimmed through the paper and then looked at him.

Sasuke looked at him in anticipation.

"Keep excelling like this and you'll be just like your brother."

And, just like that, all excitement and happiness and anticipation he felt immediately vanished.

_Become just like your brother._

* * *

**February – Approximately 2 months before present**

"What did you say?! What do you mean you can't participate in the assembly?!"

Sasuke opened his opened his onyx eyes.

_Otou-san?_

"I don't think you understand your *place!"

Slowly, the young Uchiha sat up, his mind clearing from sleep. It was no mistake – that was his father's voice. Why was he still up? And why did he sound so… angry?

Sasuke stood from his bed and quietly went to the room where the voices came from. It wasn't far – just about two rooms from his own.

"I'm setting out on a mission tomorrow." It was Itachi who was speaking now.

_It's the middle of the night… why are they still up with the lights off?_

Sasuke slightly opened the sliding door, taking a peek inside. Fugaku and Mikoto were facing their oldest son… and there was a certain aura in the room that Sasuke didn't like.

"And what is this mission you are talking about?" Fugaku demanded, his voice still thick with anger.

"I can't tell you," Itachi answered coolly. "The mission is classified."

Slowly, Mikoto glanced at her husband, studying his reaction as if she was ready to stop him if he made a move to harm their son.

Fugaku's frown deepened. "Itachi," he said, his voice low and serious, "you also have responsibilities to our clan. You know that you also serve as the pipeline to the village's nerve center. You know that don't you?"

"Yes."

"Don't you forget that, Itachi," Fugaku ordered. "You  _will_ be in that meeting tomorrow.

Sasuke heart beat hard against his chest. What was this? Why were they fighting? What did they want Itachi to do?

And, as if he heard his thoughts, Itachi suddenly called out his name. "Sasuke."

Sasuke's heart beat louder against his chest.

"Use the bathroom and go to sleep," Itachi continued.

Reluctantly, the young boy opened the sliding door further and nodded.

The rage in Fugaku's eyes was unmistakable. "What are you doing roaming the house at this time of night?!" he yelled, standing up. "Get to bed!"

"Yes, Otou-san."

He barely saw the look of warning in Itachi's eyes as he closed the door.

* * *

"Father only cares about you, Itachi." Sasuke clenched his fists. He had been sitting alone on the back porch when Itachi quietly joined him. Somehow, he felt guilty that his statement had been his welcoming greeting.

"You probably hate me, huh?"

Sasuke raised his head. His brother was smiling… but there had been something about that smile that seemed melancholic, somehow.  _Why_?

"It's alright," Itachi continued. "People often think ill of shinobi. It's only logical for you to hate me."

Something suddenly hit Sasuke's chest then. He did – he  _did_ hate Itachi. He had always, always been walking on his shadow. He was the better brother. He was better – always better. It was always Itachi, Itachi, Itachi –

"That's not how I feel!"

…Yet somehow, he had to deny that he felt that way about him. After all, he was his brother. And he loved him. He respected him. With all his heart.

Beside him, Itachi grinned. "Being the best isn't always at it seems. When you have power, you become arrogant and isolated from the world; no matter how coveted or sought-after you are at the beginning." With this, Itachi looked away, but continued speaking. "But with us, it's different because you and I are family. I'm always going to be there for you – even if it's only as an obstacle for you to overcome. Even if you  _do_ hate me. That's what big brothers are for."

Sasuke opened his mouth to speak, but a foreign voice suddenly crossed the hallways of the manor.

"Is Itachi in there?! We need to talk! Get out here!"

Sasuke watched as Itachi slowly got up and walked to the front door. After a while, he followed.

_Who were those people? What did they want?_

"What can I help you with?" Itachi asked in a calm voice.

There were three men by the door – all of them he recognized for they were all Uchiha. But what – what did they want with Itachi?

"There were two people who didn't show up at yesterday's assembly," one of the men said, glaring straight at Itachi. Sasuke noted his long black hair. "Do you want to tell me why you weren't there?"

Sasuke's eyes widened in realization.  _The meeting otou-san was talking about last night! That means Onii-san didn't go after all…_

"You're at the ANBU Black Opts now," the man continued. "I know very well that you can be called away at a drop of a hat – and that's the case your father was trying to make when we asked why you weren't there."

"But we're not your father," a man beside him – a man with graying hair – piped in. "You won't be getting any special treatment from us."

Itachi bowed slightly at the men. "I understand," he said evenly, unfazed at the obvious anger radiating from their 'visitors'. "I should have been more careful. Will that be all, then?"

The man with gray hair smirked. "You know what, before we go, there's just one other thing."

Itachi looked expectantly at him.

"Do you know anything about Shisui Uchiha's suicide at Naka River?"

At this, Itachi's eyes widened. Sasuke looked at his brother fearfully.

_Suicide…?_

"Shisui was the other person who didn't turn up at the assembly," the man with the long black hair said, eyes scrutinizing. "It's funny – if I remember correctly, you kind of looked up to him like an older brother."

Itachi closed his eyes. "How terrible," Itachi said, but fostering no sympathy in his voice. "Forgive me, I haven't seen him at all recently. What a tragedy."

The man narrowed his eyes. "Yeah," he said slowly, not at all taking Itachi's answer as a cue to leave. "At this point, the police force has no other choice but to launch an all-out investigation into the matter."

"Investigation?" Itachi echoed.

Sasuke saw the man with the gray hair take something from his clothes and hand it over to Itachi. "This is the note Shisui left behind. We've already had it analyzed – there's no question that this is his handwriting."

Itachi ignored the paper being handed over to him. "You say it was suicide – why do you have to investigate?"

"Because it would be no great feat for someone who possesses the sharingan to copy his handwriting," the man with the long hair answered, just as Itachi took the paper. "The most talented of the Uchiha Clan – feared as 'Shunshin no Shisui', the teleporter – was a man who would do anything and take any mission if it was for the good of the clan."

"Hard to imagine a man like that ending his life, right?" the man with the gray hair added.

"You shouldn't judge people by how they look," Itachi said, "or by your own preconceptions."

The three men ignored his statement. "We'll leave that to you for now. You're part of the ANBU, so you can put in a request for  _them_ to start an investigation of their own."

"I understand," Itachi answered.

Just as the men started to leave, the one with the long hair added, "By the way, we have our own connections inside of ANBU Black Opts. You *try to sweep this investigation under the rug and we're gonna know about it."

Suddenly, Sasuke saw his brother's expression change. His fists clenched around the paper he was holding, and his shoulders were rigid.

"Why don't you just say it straight?" he said, his voice threateningly dark. Sasuke then noticed that the men had already activated their sharingan. "You believe that I had something to do with this, don't you?"

"Yes, that's right," the man with the long hair answered, eyes red – sharingan spinning –

"Listen Itachi – if we ever find out that you betrayed this clan, I want you to know that you'll pay for your wrongs!"

It seemed that was the last draw because Itachi was suddenly at them, beating the triad up. Sasuke looked at the sight fearfully. His brother was beating the life off of these men by his own – he looked like… he was a different person…

_Onii-san…?_

"Like I said before," Itachi said, once the three men were sprawled to the ground in defeat. "Appearances and preconceptions aren't going to tell you anything. For instance, you've made a mistake of assuming that I'm a patient man.

"The clan – the clan! You overestimate your own abilities that you have no idea of the depth of my own. And look at you now… groveling in the dirt."

Sasuke couldn't believe his eyes. He had never seen his brother like this before – he was always calm and controlled. He knew his brother, but this man… this man he didn't know.

"Shisui has been keeping an eye on you recently – the strangeness of your behavior," the man with gray hair rasped. "Almost half a year into your time at ANBU – it's impossible to overlook. What the heck are you playing at you filthy little wrench!"

"Obsessed with the organization – obsessed with the clan! Obsessed with our lineage – your worthless compulsion enslaves us, limiting our abilities, leading us to fear what we don't understand."

"Stop it, Itachi!"

Sasuke's eyes glanced at the new voice.

_Otou-san!_

"What's happening to you?! " Fugaku yelled. "You've been acting strange lately."

"I have my own duties to fulfill," Itachi said evenly.

"Why didn't you come last night?" Fugaku asked.

"…To achieve the next state," Itachi answered.

Fugaku narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about?!"

Before Fugaku could ask again, Itachi had pulled out a kunai and threw it directly on the Uchiha Clan's crest.

Sasuke's eyes widened. That crest was made of concrete! How could a kunai  _pierce_  something like  _that_?!

"I've had enough," Itachi said menacingly, facing his father. "There's no hope left for this pathetic clan."

_"Since a long time ago, the Uchiha has always ensured the peace here. The crest is the testament of the clan's pride and a way of life, centuries old."_

_Onii-san.._

_"That's my boy. You'll go far in the ANBU ranks, no doubt about it."_

_What… have you done?_

"The people of this clan are all the same," Itachi continued. (Eyes red, sharingan spinning -) "You focus on the trivial and lose sight of the most important. Change is impossible in the fog of ignorance. How can we evolve when regulation is all we know?"

"Such arrogance!" Fugaku exclaimed.

"That's enough! If I hear any more of this nonsense, I'll have you thrown behind bars!" the man with gray hair added.

_"Being the best isn't always at it seems. When you have power, you become arrogant and isolated from the world; no matter how coveted or sought-after you are at the beginning."_

_Onii-san… why…?_

"I can't take this anymore!" the man with long hair yelled. (Eyes red, sharingan spinning -) "Please, Captain! Just give me the order!"

Sasuke opened his mouth. This had to stop – it had to –

"PLEASE! STOP!"

Sasuke watched as Itachi, Fugaku and the others freeze visibly. Even he froze in surprise.

_What –_

"Please stop this!"

_Saku –_

"Sa-Sakura…"

Sasuke's onyx eyes trailed to the girl in the middle of the four men, arms spread away from her body. Sasuke saw the brave face she was putting up… but Sasuke knew better. Sakura – she…

"Please… stop this…"

…she was trembling in fear.

_Sakura?_

And, as if realization finally hit him, Itachi fell on his knees to the ground.

"I'm not the one who killed Shisui," he said, bowing low at the four Uchihas before him, "but I apologize for the words I have spoken. I am truly sorry."

Sakura slowly turned to Itachi, eyes unreadable.

"He's been very tired lately," Fugaku sighed. "He had been on so many missions on ANBU."

The men turned to him disbelievingly. "B-but Captain –"

"The ANBU are under the direct control of the Hokage," Fugaku interrupted, his voice hard and final. "Even if you wanted to arrest one of them, you would need to get a warrant first."

"As for Itachi," Fugaku turned to his eldest son. "I take full responsibility for him. You have my word."

The men gave Itachi one last hard look before looking away. "Very well, sir."

Sasuke barely noticed the three men leaving and his Father going back inside the Uchiha Manor because as he went to where Sakura was frozen on the spot, he could have sworn that Itachi's sharingan had changed…

_A three-sided shuriken?_

"Sasuke-kun…"

Sasuke then met Sakura's green eyes that were studying him with worry. He knew what that look meant. "Are you okay?" was her silent question.

Sasuke vaguely nodded as his gaze followed his brother's retreating figure.

_Onii-san…_

… _what have you done?_

* * *

**April – Present**

Sasuke was awoken by the hushed voices outside his bedroom.

" - is too much. We are going on with what we've planned. I cannot do anything to change it anymore."

That had been his father... and he sounded rather angry. What could have been the problem, then?

"Cannot do anything!" his mother scoffed. "You could always do something, Fugaku! You even convinced the Sandaime to give Sakura to  _your_ custody! You are the captain of the Konoha Police Force! Don't tell me you can't do anything -"

"I thought  _you_ of all people would understand why we need to do this," Fugaku interrupted, gritting his teeth together.

"We don't  _need_ to do anything except stop this nonsense! Think about our children -"

"Itachi can take care of himself."

"And Sasuke?" Sasuke froze at the sound of his name. At first he thought that he had been discovered, but he then realized that they were just talking about him. "He's only seven, for Kami's sake!"

"Sasuke can take care of himself, too," Fugaku answered, but Sasuke noticed that his voice had sounded hushed. Nonetheless, he felt a swell of pride in his chest when he heard what his father thought of him.

"And Sakura?"

Three beats followed. Fugaku then answered, his voice clear as crystal, "Sasuke will protect her."

The young Uchiha slowly drew back, the reason for his mother and father's conversation out of his head. He had forgotten how or when they started regarding Sakura as family, but Sasuke found himself agreeing to what his father had said.

No matter what, Sasuke would always,  _always_ protect Sakura.


End file.
